Floor-scrubbing machine



sept. 25, 192s.

W. S. FINNELL FLOOR SCRUBBING MACHINE Original Filed May 1l, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PATENT oFFlcE.

WALTER B. ITNNELL, OF HANN-IBAL, IIBBO'UR, ABSIGNOR TO OOBPOBATED, .A CORPORATION Ol' DELAW FLOOB-BCBUBBING IACHINE.

Original application med My invention relates `to floor scrubbing machines of the type which employs brushes bearing down upon the surface under treatment and moving over the same as the machine is propelled along, and, more particularly, to new and novel means for attaching and driving the brush carrier. I preferably employ my invention in connection with a floor scrubbing machine which embodies a 1 ring of brushes bearing down upon the surface under treatment and rotated over such surface as the machine is propelled along it', such ty of machine bein disclosed in my Patent se. 1,628,770 of ay 17, 1927, for

floor scrubbing machines, of which this application is a division.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a new and novel means for interlocking the brush carrying structure with lts 2 drlving mechanism.

Another'object of my invention is to provide for readily removmg and replacing the brush structure while at the same time, insuring its effective lnterlocking with the driving mechanism.

Qther and further objects will appear as this description progresses and by reference to the annexed drawings wherein,-

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view of a' ioor scrubbing machine embodying m 1nvention, the machine being shown wit the water and detergent supply containers removed; Figs. 2 and 3 are perspective views of the driving disc and a portion of the rotating brush carrying structure, respectively; Fig.

4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional plan view taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of driving disc for driving the brush carrying structure; Fig. 6 is a detail view,

showing the manner of engagement of the driving disc of Fig. 5 with the brush carrying structure.

Referring to the drawings, the machine has a substantial base frame-work made up principally of angle bars 2 and mounted on a air of rear wheels (not shown) with a pilot w eel 4 at the front in the center of the brush ring structure. The brush ring structure comprises a spider 5 from which the brushes 6 are suspended so as to yieldingly bear upon the floor, and a central annulus connected to the spider by arms 7. This annulus has an upper ring 8, a relatively narrow encircling lay 11, 1988, Serial lo. 688,166. Divided and this application led December 18, 1925.

semi no. 70.137.

led e 9 at the base thereof, a lower ring 10, an a relatively wide encircling ledge 11 Sloplng outwardly rmg. Between this inner annulus and the lnner portion of the brush carrying spider there is mounted a deiiector 12 in the form of a flarln apron which encircles the annulus. The de ector 1s supported by the radial arms l7, being slotted as at 12 so as to .straddle said arms.

The machine may be provided with a water tank (not shown) from which leads a water nozzle 13 (see Fig. 4) for delivering a supply water internally of the brush ring'structure.' There is also provided a convenientl located detergent container (not shownlI from which a detergent is delivered interiorly of the brush ring structure through the spout 14. By this arrangement water and detergent are most effectively delivered to the brushes by a direct and continuing fiow, which combined with. a rotary action of the Hmmm. mm, nr-

from the base of this lower l brushes themselves, assures utilization of the full supplyofl water and detergent as the scrubbing operation proceeds.

The source of power for driving the brush ring structure in its rotary path preferably takes the form of an electric motor (not shown), the armature shaft 15 of which is operatively connected to or carries a worm 16. The worm 16 engages a worm wheel 17 which is preferably formed integral with a driving gear 18. The driving gear 18 and worm wheel 17 `surround a bushing 19 which, in turn, surrounds the spindle 20 of the pilot wheel 4, as shown in Fig. 1, the bushing being supported by a casing 21 mounted upon the base frame 2. The bottom plate 22 of the casing carries a ball bearing disc 23 under the worm wheel.

A horizontal driving disc 24 is bolted or otherwise secured to the gear 18. This disc is formed with a circular series of driving clips 25, shownpin Figs. 1 and 2, these clips being struck out of the disc and bent laterally and slightly bowed. Obviously, these clips serve as yielding `clamps, the purpose of which. will be described hereinafter.

The upper ring 8 of the water and powder distributing annulus (see Figs. 1 and 3) is formed, just below its top edge, with a series of inwardly projecting lugs 26, these lugs being spaced a art to correspond with the spacing apart o. the driving clips 25. By this construction a positive interlock between the brush ring structure and its driving mechanism is provided and, at the same time, means is provided for readily removing and replacing the brush structure without impairing the eiectiveness of the interlock. With this construction, the brush structure can be readily applied to the machine and interlocked with the driving mechanism by tilting the machine back and placing the brush structure up against the driving disc so that the rim of the ring 8 encircles said disc, the lugs 26 occupying the spaces between the clips 25. Then, while holding the brush structure up, it can be turned in a direction to force the lugs 26 into the jaws formed by the clips. The bowing of the clips makes provision for a frictional engagement between the lugs 26 and clips 25, the clips being sufficiently resilient to permit insertion of the lugs without impairing their gripping ability. Furthermore, the turning movement by which the interlocking of these parts is brought about is opposite to the'direction in which the disc is driven `from the motor, so that in operation the tendency will be to keep the parts interlocked. Whenever occasion arises to take off the brush structure, that can be readily accomplished by tiltingI back the machine and turning the whole brush structure so as to disengage the lugs 26 from the clips 25. Thus, it is readilv seen that I have provided a positive and eliicient interlocking mechanism, at the same time, providing for the ready removal and replacement of the interlocked parts.

In Figs. 5 and 6, I showa modified form of y driving disc. This driving disc may be similar in all respects to the driving'disc shown in Fig. 2 with theexception of the construction of the driving lugs or members 2.7. With this modified form of driving disc,t he interlocking or driving members 27 are'removable, being held in place by suitably provided bolts or screws 28. These members preferably take such a form that when bolted in place on the driving disc a socket such as shown at 29 is formed into which the inwardly projecting lugs 26 of the brush carrying structure annulus will readily fit. The free end of each of these driving members is provided with an outwardly projecting and angled extension 30 inclined so as to serve as a guide for directing the lugs 26 into place in the sockets formed by the driving members when the brush structure is being applied to its drivingr disc. It is desirable that lugs 26 be gripped and held snugly in place in their sockets. In order to accomplish this, in this modiiied disc I provide each socket member 27 with a spring 31 which is preferably held in place by the bolts or screws 28. This spring is bowed and bent so as to seat against and hold in place the ball 32 which is seated in the spaced portion of the socket member. This ball extends through and beneath the socket member to a desired distance. When using this modified form of driving disc, I preferably provide a groove 33 in the under-side of each of the lugs 26. This groove is, preferably, of such size that the ball will t into it snugly. With this construction, when the brush structure is being assembled and interlocked with its driving mechanism, the balls 32 seat in the grooves in the respective lugs 26 whereby the parts are held aligned together, this alignment being maintained until it is again desired to remove the brush structure. The socket members 27, like the driving clips 25, provide a resilient driving and enga-ging means which holds the parts in frictional engagement and permit their ready assembly and disassembly. Drivingdiscsofthe form shown in Fig. 2 may be readily converted to the form of Fig. 5 by striking olf the clips 25 and installing the socket members 27.

As disclosed in my prior application mentioned hereinbefore, the detergent container, which I preferably employ, is provided with an agitating device connected to and driven bv the shaft 34. As shown in the drawings, Fig. 4, this shaft carries a gear wheel 35 which is connected to the drive gear 18 through the medium of an idler gear 36. In this manner the desired delivery of the detergent is effected through the spout 14.

A skirt .37 extends around the brush structure being suspended from a curved angle bar 38 which is bolted at its rear `end to the base frame 2 and supported at its forward portion by a suitably provided frame cross bar. The edge of the bar 38 is covered by a bumper strip 39 for obvious protective purposes.

I claim:

`1. In a licor scrubbing machine. the combination of a driving disc, means for driving said disc, a brush ring structure in direct engagement with said disc and having means for yieldably supporting brushes'in contact with the surface under treatment, and an additional yieldable connection providing said direct engagement between said brush ring structure and said driving disc.

2. In a floor scrubbing machine, the combination of a driving disc having a plurality of yieldable connectors, means for driving said disc. a brush ring structure having means for yieldably supportin'gfbrushes in contact with the surface under treatment, and interlock means carried by said brush ring structure and not associated with said brushes for engaging said disc connectors to connect such parts for operation together.

3. In a floor scrubbing machine, the combination of a driving disc having jaw-clips on one face, means for driving said disc and a brush ring structure yieldably supporting brushes in contact with the iioor, said brush ring structure having a rim with attachment lugs extending inwardly thereof and adapted l0 rotating the disc; and a brush ring struc-ture from which brushes are yieldably supported in contact with the floor, said structure having a central annulus adapted to embrace the disc and a series of inwardly projecting lugs adapted to pass between the jaw-clips and to .be engaged with the same by turning of the annulus.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name. v

WALTER S. FINNELL. 

